1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to an automatic vending machine, and more particularly to time displaying apparatus and method for an automatic vending machine which enables to display current time and operation state so that user can conveniently use the vending machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, automatic vending machines have been widely used in countries. The automatic vending machines keeping various goods therein such as coffee, cigarette, cake, and candy have a goods safekeeping chamber and determines what kind of goods can be vended by an amount or sum of coins inserted by an user.
In these automatic vending machines, when coins are inserted into the automatic vending machine and a selecting button to a predetermined goods is pushed, the goods is extracted from a goods extract part of the automatic vending machine.
As shown in FIG. 1, a goods selecting apparatus of a conventional automatic vending machine includes a coin detecting mechanism 1 for providing a detected signal according to a coin state of inserted coins and the amount of the coins to be inserted in the automatic vending machine, a goods selecting part 2 for selecting a predetermined article among goods stored or provided therein, a control part 3 for generating a control signal to display a selling possibility state of goods befitting the inserted coins and the amount of the coins according to the detected signal from the coin detecting mechanism 1 and to extract the goods selected from the goods selecting part 2, a display part 4 for displaying the total inserted amount of coins and a selling possibility state of the automatic vending machine according to a display control signal from the control part 3, and a goods extracting part 5 for extracting a selected goods according to a extracting control signal output from the control part 3.
Now, goods selecting and operating process of the conventional automatic vending machine will be explained hereinafter.
When coins are inserted through a coin inserting slot (not shown), condition of the coins or the bill and the amount of coins or bill are detected by a plurality of sensors (not shown) of the coin detecting mechanism 1 and a signal detected therefrom is provided to the control part 3. The control part 3 generates a control signal for displaying the total inserted amount of the coins according to the detected signal from the coin detecting mechanism 1. The display part 4 displays a selling possibility state according to the control signal from the control part 3 in case the total inserted amount of coins exceeds the price of the goods stored in the automatic vending machine.
After the selling possibility state of the goods shown in the display part 4 has confirmed, a selecting button is pushed by the user to cause the selected goods to be extracted from the automatic vending machine.
A button signal corresponding to the goods selected from goods selecting part 2 is provided to the control part 3. At this time, the control signal for extracting the selected goods is generated from the control part 3.
Accordingly, the article desired by the user among goods stored in the automatic vending machine is extracted through the goods extracting part 5 according to the control signal output from the control part 3 so that the user can obtain to the desired article.